The invention relates to improvements in hardware for use in connection with drawers which are movably installed in tables, desks, cabinets and/or other pieces of furniture. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in so-called runners or runner assemblies which are used to ensure predictable reciprocatory movements of drawers relative to pieces of furniture.
It is already known to install a drawer for reciprocatory movement between two runners each of which includes a support affixed to a piece of furniture adjacent one sidewall of the drawer, an elongated follower member (e.g., a slide rail) which is reciprocable along the respective support, and a bearing member which is installed at the rear wall of the drawer and reciprocably receives the rear end portion of the follower member. The front end portion of the follower member is coupled to the drawer so that the follower member is compelled to share the inward as well as outward movements of the drawer. As a rule, the follower member has an elongated leg which extends into an opening of the bearing member on the rear wall of the drawer. A drawback of conventional runners of the above outlined character is that one and the same follower member cannot be used in connection with relatively deep (long) or relatively shallow (short) drawers. Thus, a relatively short follower member might not reach the opening of the bearing member which is affixed to the rear wall of a relatively deep drawer. This renders it necessary to furnish follower members of different lengths. Moreover, the ability of the aforediscussed runners to prevent lateral or sidewise stray movements of the follower members (and hence of the drawer) is rather limited.
In accordance with another earlier proposal, the follower member is assembled of two parts one of which is movable longitudinally of the other part and can be secured to the other part in any one of several positions. This renders it possible to employ a composite follower member in a runner for a shallow drawer or in a runner for a deep drawer. A drawback of this proposal is that the composite follower member is expensive and that its length must be adjusted prior to assembly with other component parts of a runner.